Price is right behind team’s fine start but wants a Blast

NEW Road chairman Martyn Price has praised the “magnificent” form of the team during the first three months of the season.

The County benefactor also revealed it remains a “dream” of his to see the county qualify for NatWest T20 Blast finals day.

Price – who is widely known as Percy – is in the final season of his eight-year spell in charge at Worcestershire, having donated more than £500,000 of his own money to the club during that time.

He started his tenure by seeing the County lift the Pro40 League trophy in 2007 and would dearly like to end his time at the helm in a similar successful fashion.

Worcestershire are top of Division Two in the LV= County Championship, as well as battling it out in the upper echelons of the T20 Blast North Group after an impressive 20-over campaign to date.

In the T20 Blast, the top four qualify for the quarter-finals, while the top two secure a money-spinning home tie.

Price said: “I am delighted with the start to the season.

“People were wondering where the wickets were going to come from early on when Richo (Alan Richardson) left us to go to Warwickshire as bowling coach.

“I think our lads have done incredibly well.

“Saeed Ajmal has been fantastic and tied up one end, while the other bowlers have done their job at the other end.

“Jack Shantry has had a great season with the ball – and done quite well with the bat as well.

“Charlie Morris has been impressive in his first full season and, overall, I’m delighted with what is happening at the club. Most of them are youngsters and they all seem to be chipping in at one stage or another.

“Ben Cox has been fantastic this year.

“There is no doubt that his wicket-keeping has improved tremendously and obviously his batting has done well.

“We are half-way through now and I’m delighted with the way things are going out in the middle.

Price underlined his desire to see the Rapids secure T20 silverware during his final year at the helm.

He admitted: “The T20 is something I really do want to win.

“I want to get to the finals day at Edgbaston and take 4,000 Worcestershire supporters there.

“If we could win that competition, that really would be great.

“It would be a dream and the team have performed so well so far this season.

“To finish first or second in the qualifying group would be fantastic, because we would have a home tie and that could be worth upwards of £100,000 to us. It would be a great money-spinner for the club.

“Overall, I’m thrilled that we are doing so well and the icing on the cake is Moeen (Ali) playing Test cricket because it means players in the second division can still play for England.

“That is important. I really feel quite strongly. There are some damn good players in the second division.

“Obviously, the selectors will come along and see them. Who knows, Mitch (Daryl Mitchell) might get a cap by the end of the year.”